Wyclef Jean calls for evacuating Haiti’s capital, speaks out in defense of his foundation

Wyclef Jean calls for evacuating Haiti’s capital

NEW YORK — Haitian-born musician Wyclef Jean is calling for an evacuation of his homeland’s earthquake-ravaged capital and asking for international aid to help set up tent cities nearby.

The Grammy Award-winning artist called for action during a news conference Monday in New York. He envisions temporary settlements housing 100,000 people each outside Port-au-Prince.

Jean is one of Haiti’s most famous sons and has been a prominent voice in relief efforts since Tuesday’s earthquake. He has raised more than $2 million through his charity, The Wyclef Jean Foundation Inc. It is also known as Yele Haiti.

But he has also faced questions about its accounting practices. He defended it Monday as a young organization that had made mistakes but has also been effective.